Amos 7

1 Thus has the Lord God showed me; and, behold, a swarm of locusts coming from the east; and, behold, one caterpillar, king Gog.

This is what the Lord God showed me: he was forming a swarm of locusts, when the late spring grass began to come up after the king’s share had been harvested.

2 And it came to pass when he had finished devouring the grass of the land, that I said, Lord God, be merciful; who shall raise up Jacob? for he is small in number.

And when they had finished devouring all the land’s vegetation, I said: ‘Lord God, forgive, I beg you! How can Jacob survive, for he is so helpless?’

3 Repent, O Lord, for this. And this shall not be, says the Lord.

The Lord relented. This will not happen,’ said the Lord.

4 Thus has the Lord showed me; and, behold, the Lord called for judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and devoured the Lord's portion.

This is what he showed me: the Lord God was giving command to execute judgment by fire. It burned up the great deep, and had begun to devour the fields, and I said:

5 Then I said, O Lord, cease, I pray you: who shall raise up Jacob? for he is small in number. Repent, O Lord, for this.

‘Lord God, forgive, I beg you! How can Jacob survive, for he is so helpless?’

6 This also shall not be, says the Lord.

The Lord relented. ‘This will not happen either,’ said the Lord.

7 Thus the Lord showed me; and behold, he stood upon a wall of adamant, and in his hand [was] an adamant.

This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.

8 And the Lord said to me, What see you, Amos? And I said, An adamant. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I appoint an adamant in the midst of my people Israel: I will not pass by them any more.

And the Lord said to me, ‘What do you see, Amos?’ And I answered, ‘A plumb line,’ Then the Lord said, ‘Watch: I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel, I will no longer overlook their crookedness.

9 And the joyful altars shall be abolished, and the sacrifices of Israel shall be set aside; and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

And the high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste, and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.’

10 Then Amasias the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos is forming conspiracies against you in the midst of the house of Israel: the land will be utterly unable to bear all his words.

Then Amaziah, chief priest of Bethel sent this message to King Jeroboam of Israel: ‘Amos has conspired against you right in the heart of Israel. The country cannot survive all his words.

11 For thus says Amos, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall be led away captive from his land.

Amos has said, “Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will be led away captive out of their land.”’

12 And Amasias said to Amos, Go, seer, remove you into the land of Juda, and live there, and you shall prophesy there:

And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘Leave, you who see visions, go to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and prophesy there,

13 but you shall no longer prophesy at Bethel: for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the royal house.

but don’t prophesy any more at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the royal residence.’

14 And Amos answered, and said to Amasias, I was not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet; but I was a herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruits.

‘I am no prophet,’ Amos answered Amaziah, ‘nor trained as one. I am a shepherd and a keeper of sycamores fig trees.

15 And the Lord took me from the sheep, and the Lord said to me, Go, and prophesy to my people Israel.

But the Lord took me away from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”

16 And now hear the word of the Lord: You say, Prophesy not to Israel, and raise not a tumult against the house of Jacob.

Now therefore listen to the Lord’s message: “You say not to prophesy against Israel, nor to preach against the house of Isaac.

17 Therefore thus says the Lord; Your wife shall be a harlot in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be measured with the line; and you shall die in an unclean land; and Israel shall be led captive out of his land. Thus has the Lord God showed me.

But the Lord says: Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be divided up, you will die on unclean soil, and Israel will be led away captive out of their land.”’